The Queen's Cure
by brassybats
Summary: After the struggle comes peace, but the tragedies of the past never fade. This is the only chance for the Queen to save a figure of years ago, and for the Dodo to reunite with a lost friend. Memories of the event fade back, and Uilleam can only hope to have her Griffin back. Mad T Party fanfic, Dodo/Gryphon.


A soft breeze wound its way around the trees. Ulli brought a hand up to her face and pushed back a lock of hair. Her feet dragged themselves along, their reluctance evenly matching her legs' eagerness. She paused at the steps of the crypt. Her heart hurried its pace, but her body would not move. Her hand closed tightly around the brass key, its surface warm and damp against her palm. She pulled one foot forward, down to the next step, and then the other foot. The pattern repeated itself, over and over, until she found herself face to face with the stone door. Fingers aching, she put the key into the lock and turned it, the hollow click making her heart skip a beat. She eased the door open, and she let her legs carry her inside.

A table sat in the middle, just as the Queen had said. Ulli's breath caught as she looked upon the tabletop. There lay the Gryphon, still and lifeless. Ulli didn't know when her hand left the door, but she knew that she was now kneeling by the low table and gazing down at her friend. Aside from the ashen pallor, he looked exactly how he did when he died. The jar of strawberry preserves in his coffin had been a last-minute suggestion, and it served well. His brows were slightly drawn, his lips curved in a slight frown. His clothes were torn and scorched; the few shreds that remained of his shirt revealed the scars on his body.

Uilleam reached out and brushed her fingers over Griffin's own. They were cold like winter, but they were still soft. If she tried, she could imagine the Gryphon's strong grip on her shoulder, shaking her in the way he always did when she went on one of her tangents. He'd look at her with those serious golden eyes, but then he'd suggest a song, or they would dance together for as long as they wanted.

Sitting back on her heels, she pulled her arms around herself in a loose hug. She could see the memories of the past, of their last moments together. Her scream had been hoarse as she watched him fight. He had not looked back once, not even to consider his decision. There had been a desperate fury in his eyes, one that had surged through his arms and out of his sword. There came a jolt of white lightning, a raw scream, and the horrid creature was out of sight. Uilleam had cared not about the flames on the grass as she ran. In a swift blur of motion, she was on the ground next to the Gryphon, cradling his ember-speckled body. Their eyes met, and his hand reached up to grasp her shoulder. Through his lips there slipped the slightest breath of a phrase: "M'sorry, Dodo." His head then fell back, and his eyes slid closed.

"Uilleam, dear?"

The Dodo blinked, suddenly aware of a hand on her back. Looking up, she found the White Queen standing over her, gazing down with concern. "Are you ready?" she asked softly.

Ulli nodded and crawled out of the way, allowing the woman to step forward. She pulled a small glass bottle from her dress and carefully removed the cork. The air stood still as the Queen brought the bottle to Griffin's lips. Worries began to cloud her mind in the cold silence. Perhaps he would not remember her. Perhaps he wouldn't be same when he woke up, like a completely different person. Perhaps something would go wrong, and the potion would make him ill. Maybe it wouldn't work at all, and he was truly lost forever.

A groan crept into the air. His chest rose and fell, and his eyelids twitched. At that moment, every thorough thought fled her mind, replacing themselves with one word that she cried aloud:

"_Griffin!_"

The Dodo lunged for the table, staring down anxiously. The Gryphon's eyes squinted open, and he blinked twice. He seemed to search Uilleam's face. Their gazes then locked.

"Ulli?" he whispered.

The Dodo's eyes filled with tears as she beamed at him. "Yes," she answered in a trembling voice. "It's me."

"How'd…"

"The White Queen." She glanced back to where the Queen had retreated, by the door of the crypt, and then looked back down at the Gryphon. "And now you're alive."

A dry sob choked the last of her words, and she laughed in spite of herself. Griffin furrowed his brows in thought, his eyes looking about him.

"The Caucus Race," he recalled. "Who won?"

"Alice did. The Red Queen and the Knave have been banished."

His eyes widened at this. "Alice? Is she-"

"She went back." A tiny smirk eased onto her lips as she remembered the headstrong, confused girl. "She'll be back. She can't stay away from her friends for long."

The Gryphon nodded, a wistful smile on his lips. He weakly reached a hand up, brushing it against Uilleam's cheek. "You're crying," he observed.

The Dodo gave another laugh and wiped tears from her eyes. "I just-just really, _really_ missed you."

"Ulli…" With a soft grunt, he pushed himself until he sat up on the table. He took Uilleam by the arm, and she allowed him to pull her right up beside him. His strong arms wrapped around her shaking shoulders, and she buried her face into his chest.

"I thought I lost you forever," she sobbed. "We told you, Griffin. We _begged_ you not to fight."

"I'm sorry. I couldn't wait."

Uilleam sniffed and looked up into his eyes. "I know you couldn't. You're obstinate.

She laid her head down against him, sobbing quietly. Griffin held her more tightly, his embrace secure and warm. Ulli closed her eyes to his steady heartbeat, the very beat that had been absent just minutes ago. They stayed like this for a while, sitting in the company of distant chirping and the ebbing sobs. They heard the door open and close at some point, and Dodo knew that the Queen had left. Finally, her crying eased, replacing itself with deeper breaths. Peeking back up at the Gryphon's face, she saw that he was smirking in amusement.

"What?"

He shook his head slowly, saying, "You poor crazy bird."

Uilleam raised her head to look him directly in the eyes. "Wha?"

"You're so lost without me. I knew it. A right poor bird you are!"

She felt her cheeks flush, and her tongue went dry. Her affection for him was never quite subtle. He was right, though. He always gave her something to look forward to, even if it was just the simple pleasure of bugging him. Without him, she didn't know what to do. She was indeed lost.

"Well, merely attempting to-to imagine such a situation," she stammered. "Venturing to rationalize the concept is, well, it's simply unfathomable, and I couldn't possibly-"

She abruptly halted as he grabbed her shoulders. "Enough, Dodo. That's too many words." His grasp was firm, his stare hard. He then softened, wrapping her back in one arm. "How about we go to the seashore, maybe enjoy a little dance?"

A small, happy ache squeezed Uilleam's heart as Griffin said this. Eagerly, she responded, "I would love to."

The pair quickly slid themselves off of the table. Linking their arms, they strode through the door, out of the cold darkness and into the warm, bright sunlight.


End file.
